The Polish company Bacteromic is expanding its educational program for children with the publication of a storybook on antibiotic resistance and responsible treatment. “Doctor Franek and Bacterius – how not to let illness win” is an original work designed to raise awareness among young patients of bacterial resistance to antibiotics – a phenomenon described by the World Health Organization as the silent pandemic of the 21st century.
Antibiotic resistance is among the ten greatest global public health threats facing humanity today, according to the WHO, the problem arises from the overuse or misuse of antibiotics, by both physicians and patients. Bacteromic’s new publication is a key element of its efforts to educate young patients and their parents, as it emphasizes that knowledge and responsible treatment are the first step in combating this dangerous phenomenon.
“Doctor Franek and Bacterius – how not to let illness win” is an original book by Bacteromic, aimed at the youngest readers – preschoolers and early primary school students. It launches in March 2026. The central character, Bacterius, together with young companions and Doctor Franek, guides readers through the importance of responsible treatment.
These characters lead children through the issue of antibiotic resistance. The stories in the book show how important proper treatment and taking care of one’s health are. Alongside the young characters and Bacterius, children learn when it is truly appropriate to use medication and how to become young guardians of their immunity.
“We are convinced that investing in the development of young minds is an investment in all our futures, because education can genuinely save lives. That is why, alongside developing our system for identifying antibiotic resistance, we are expanding our outreach among children, young people, and their parents – seeking the right channels and tools to share essential knowledge in an engaging way,” says Patrycja Głusiec of Bacteromic, one of the creators of the book and head of the company’s educational projects.
The concept and text were created by Łukasz Kurpiewski, communications manager and copywriter. The illustrations were created by Kinga Offert, visual artist and illustrator. Scientific consultation was provided by Gajane Żurawska. The book is available as a richly illustrated print edition and as an online version available to everyone – in both Polish and English.
Read the book here: Open the book
Bacterius in schools and museums – educating children about health and immunity
The book featuring Bacterius will now be distributed to selected preschools and schools, as well as the Warsaw Museum of Pharmacy, where Bacteromic has for several years supported special educational sessions. Working alongside museum educators, the company uses workshops for children and young people to explain the issue of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Bacteromic also supports the educational activities of University of Children Foundation, co-funding the “Planet Health” and “Young Scientists: How Much Chemistry and Physics Is Around Us?” projects, which help schoolchildren explore and understand health-related topics and support responsible decision-making in the future. Nearly 2,500 students have already taken part.
Antibiotic resistance – a growing global threat
The primary cause of antibiotic resistance is the improper use of antimicrobials, which allows bacteria to develop resistance, reduces the effectiveness of medications, and ultimately makes diseases easier to spread. The threat posed by microbial resistance was already highlighted by Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of the first antibiotic.
It results from the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in medicine, veterinary practice, and agriculture, insufficient infection prevention, failure to follow doctors’ recommendations, and finally self-medication or premature discontinuation of treatment by patients.
According to the WHO’s 2025 Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report, the latest estimates indicate that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a leading cause of death worldwide. In 2021, bacterial antimicrobial resistance was associated with the deaths of approximately 1.14 million patients.